A Different Kind of Battle
by The Coffee Gladiator
Summary: My version of the Weasley's story. Unable to deal with the tragedy, the tensions at the Burrow mount until it becomes a bit of a war zone. For the first time in the siblings' memory their parents aren't getting along and neither are they. Please RR!
1. In the Hours to Come

A/N: I know it come several months later than all the others, but I thought I would write my version of what happened to the Weasley's after Deathly Hallows. Hope you like it!

Ginny did not want to imagine what the next forty-eight hours might do to her stricken family. During the six days following the battle the Weasleys had practically been frozen in place; not doing much more than worrying about George avoiding them and attempting to console Molly over Bill not wanting to stay at the Burrow (funny how she cried over Fred for a few hours, but over Bill not being there for two straight days). But they were sitting on a time bomb, and Ginny just knew that the funerals were going to cause it to erupt.

That's right. Funerals. As in plural. First the one at Hogwarts, which all of the survivors were asked to attend, and then the private one that the family would have at the nearby cemetery. It was a painful game trying to decide which one would be worse.

_At least Harry and Hermione will be there._ Ginny thought miserably Although she had the sneaking suspicion, that since their entire family would be there, Harry and Hermione would feel too self conscious to be much help. _ Hell, ever since everybody started being "polite" to each other, I've felt self conscious around them! _

There was a knock on her door then, "Come in," She said, hoping that maybe it would be her mother, announcing that dinner (which they hadn't eaten since they'd gotten back, since no one was up to cooking) was ready. She received a nice surprise instead, "Hi Gin."

"Harry!" Ginny did not manage to keep the tone of delight out of her voice; in fact she felt so relieved at him being there that she nearly kissed him, but then she remembered that they hadn't done that in months, and refrained.

He looked happy to see how excited she was to see him and walked over to her, giving her an awkward but comforting hug. "How is – everything? " He asked her.

"I-I'm not sure. We've only talked about silly things, that have nothing to do with, well, anything." She blushed suddenly, and wasn't quite sure why, "And no one's really seen George, he stays in his room and Mum goes to check every night to make sure he hasn't disapparated." She took a deep breath and felt a certain guilty happiness as Harry placed his hands on her wrists. "And Bill couldn't take being around with everyone being like this, can't say I blame him, so you can imagine how Mum's been." She looked up at Harry, all of a sudden very worried that she should have told all of this to Hermione as opposed to him.

But the look of care on his face changed her mind, "And how are you?" He asked concernedly.

She didn't answer right away, deciding to settle herself on the bed and stare at her feet for a few seconds first, "It doesn't feel real yet. Not even seeing the body made it feel like it was actually happening," She hesitated, "I think the funerals will change that. I think they will for everyone."

"It was that way with Dumbledore," Harry said, nodding, he looked uncomfortable but then continued with, "How's George?"

"He doesn't leave his room. I honestly think he could be starving himself to death; he hasn't eaten since before --" There was a long pause here, "the battle."

Harry just nodded, thinking about how terrible he was at these conversations. "Do you think that maybe he thinks that avoiding everyone will make it easier on them?" He hoped Ginny got what he meant, since explaining it would be horrible to have to do.

Ginny thought about it for a moment, knowing exactly what Harry meant, "Maybe. Even if that isn't what he was trying to do, that's what happened. Although I don't think it's made things easier exactly; it's just sort of stopped everyone from crying or talking about it." Harry nodded awkwardly in response, keeping his hand on Ginny's arm all the while.

"Are you nervous about having to give a speech?" Ginny asked, anxious to turn the conversation away from her family.

Harry nodded with a pained expression upon his face, "And what's worse is, I'm the only one who isn't either a teacher or at the ministry who has to make one." He snuck a glance at Ginny, hoping that it didn't make him seem too self centered. He was pleased to see she was smiling.

The conversation got lighter after this, as both found themselves getting comfortable with each other once again, and Ginny even allowed herself to momentarily forget about her lost brother and broken family.

Eventually Hermione came down, after having a very similar afternoon with Ron, and told Harry that they'd better leave. He nodded and gave Ginny a quick kiss on the cheek, leaving her to sit alone and ready herself for the explosion that the next forty-eight hours was sure to bring.

A/N: The rest of the chapters will be better, I promise! This is just the beginning. Please tell me what you think, constructive criticism welcomed!


	2. Unreasonable Anger

A/N: Here's chapter 2! Please review! Oh, and I did the best I could with Fleur's accent.

"Why are you up so early? You really needed your rest for today," Fleur asked, as she found Bill sitting quite awake on the couch, at four a.m.

"Sorry, didn't mean to wake you," Bill muttered.

"You didn't, I awoke and noticed zat you were not zere. What is the matter?" She said as she gracefully slid next to him and rested her head next to his.

"Nothing," Bill said, knowing that she would deduct that this meant nothing besides his family, his brother, and the fact that full moon was approaching.

Her eyes carefully traveled around his face and softly asked "Are you still angry?" Bill had used most of his time and energy over the past few days storming about and muttering harsh words about his parents and surviving siblings (particularly Percy).

Bill clenched his jaw tightly shut and gave a brusque shake of his head, in response. He knew how shocked Fleur had been when he had burst out the other night about how his mother was selfish for needing him around to help raise _her_ children when she ought to be doing that herself. And he knew most of his anger at them had begun merely as a distraction, but he had spent so much time thinking about it (to avoid thinking about even less pleasant topics) that he had begun to make a case for himself about why he should be mad at them.

This greatly worried Fleur, who knew that Bill was not at all an angry person and hardly ever spoke an unkind word about anyone, let alone his family. Although she knew that it was probably just his way of coping, she had decided that if he didn't talk to his family by the end of the second funeral, she would ask Molly about it. And then beg Molly to keep it a secret from Bill who would be furious if he knew.

"I will make breakfast," Fleur said soothingly, "Try and go back to sleep." She gave him a gentle push and sent him off in the direction of the bedroom.

Bill obediently lay down and shut his eyes, but found that he (just like his little sister, although he did not know it) was too worried about the future to sleep.


End file.
